There are no active firefighters in Sault Ste. Marie who worked with Jens Lamour, but the 100-year-old spent part of his birthday on Wednesday at No. 1 Fire Hall.
Nicknamed Jake, Lamour was born on a farm in Blind River in 1922, before being called to serve in Holland, Belgium and Germany 20 years later during World War II.
He was hired to be a firefighter in Sault Ste. Marie in 1958.
On Wednesday, Lamour wore the same firefighter dress uniform that he wore to his retirement in 1985, with his war medals and firefighter service medals on his chest, when he attended a very special event in his honour at the fire hall.
Lamour was presented with a Fire Chief's citation and welcomed by current firefighters, some who weren't yet born when he retired.
“Thank you very much for your service to the country and to the community, we appreciate it," said Fire Chief Peter Johnson as he presented the framed citation to Lamour.
“Thanks for how you are treating me," replied Lamour.
A father of three, grandfather of six and great-grandfather to five, Lamour still lives at home and is the primary caretaker to his wife Bea.
After the presentation, Lamour was offered a ride to the Civic Centre in the passenger seat of a fire truck that is very different than the ones he drove all of those years ago.
“It was a perfect ride," said Lamour after his arrival at the Civic Centre for a face-to-face meeting with Mayor Christian Provenzano.
In the mayor's office, Lamour recounted his days growing up on the farm and some of his experiences during the war and on the job as a firefighter.
He couldn't help but think of his friends and colleagues who didn't make it to 100.
"All of the firemen, they passed away and, in the service, some of them never got their pension, even,” said Lamour.
Speaking to the mayor, Lamour recalled a fire he fought at a tire shop on Bruce Street in 1982 — three years before he would eventually retire.
“It had a high ceiling and the ceiling let go," said Lamour. “I fell through a ceiling, 15 feet on to my oxygen tank."
Lamour broke 11 vertebrae in the fall. It took 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit and three months of recovery before he was back on the job.
His son Kevin said remembers that night well.
“That was a scary night, when the firefighters came over and brought his uniform to us and said we have got to get down to the hospital at three o’clock in the morning," Kevin said.
“He’s a tough guy. We always joked he has done everything the hard way, so he had to get tough,” he added about his father.
Among the requirements of becoming a city firefighter in 1958 was to be married and own your own house.
Asked by the mayor what he enjoyed about being a firefighter, Lamour said it was a steady job and that's what he was looking for.
Kevin knew the fire service, city and firefighter union were supportive of his dad, but said everyone went above and beyond to make today a special birthday.
"I am blown away by what we saw today,” said Kevin. “He’s not a man who likes this kind of attention, he’s a pretty humble guy. For him, this is pretty special."